An LDS view on the Bible and other Holy Scriptures

Genesis 31-33

The Lord commands Jacob to go to Canaan, so Jacob leaves secretly in the middle of the night with all of his belongings and his wives (the daughters of Laban). Laban, after finding out that they had fled secretly in the night, pursues them.

Later Laban catches up to Jacob, but at that same place they make peace. They make a covenant with each other that they will be peaceful, they make an altar/pillar to symbolize their covenant; they call this pillar: Galeed. Laban blesses his descendants and parts from the company and heads home.

Chapter 32: Face to Face

Jacob sees an Angel and asks God to preserve him from his brother Esau. Jacob invited his brother to try and make peace with him, but a servant told him that he was coming to meet him, but bringing an army of 400 men to meet with him. Jacob prepares presents for when Esau comes and pleads with God, because he fears his brother Esau. Jacob even has his stuff split in half, so that if Esau falls on one group with half his stuff, the other group with the other half of his stuff can flee.

In the scriptures it says that Jacob crossed a river with his wives and children and sent them away with what he had with him at the time. It then says that he wrestled all night with a man, who we can say was either a servant/angel of God, or God himself. They wrestled so hard that Jacob’s “hollow of the thigh” or hip was out of place. The man tells Jacob to let him go, and he says he will not let him go until he receives a blessing from him. The man tells him that he will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel from now on. Because as Israel, he has power with God and with men. “Wrestling” most likely means that he “wrestled in prayer” with God or something to that effect. Israel receives a blessing from the Lord; and Jacob/Israel calls the place where he was “Peniel, because he said; “…for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” (Genesis 32:30-31)

From that day forward the children of Israel did not eat of the sinew (tendon) that connects to the hip. I find this very interesting, that Jacob/Israel spoke to/saw God FACE TO FACE! Especially in a world that has religions that say “no man has seen/ nor ever will see God”, how false is that! The scriptures prove otherwise. God is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever! If he called prophets and spoke to man in ancient times, he speaks and a calls prophet today… nothing has changed! I can testify that God has already called a prophet, and through that prophet Jesus Christ re-established (restored) his church on the earth again, today. God continues to call prophets and today, we have a living prophet of God on the earth.

Chapter 33: Reconciliation Between Esau and Jacob

Jacob meets Esau and urges him to take his presents, even though Esau refused, because he had enough. When Esau meets Jacob he embraces him, hugs and kisses him and they make peace. Jacob tells Esau that he saw the face of God, just like he sees his face. So we know that Jacob really did see God’s face, and it was like man’s face. Because remember, God created man in HIS IMAGE! So God is also like a man! Jacob settles in Canaan and builds an altar to God; calling it: “El-elohe-Israel”